Car-coupling



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(No Model.)

No. 481,446. Patented Aug. 23,1892.

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GAR COUPLING.

No. 481,446. Patented Aug. 23, 1892.

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I UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM H. VIOLETT, OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,446, dated August23, 1892.

Application filed March 22, 1892. Serial No. 426,034. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. VIoLETT, residing at Grand Junction, inthe county of Mesa and State of Colorado, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Car- Oouplings, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved car-couplerhaving automatic pin holding and coupling devices; and it consistsin thepeculiar combination and novel arrangement of parts, all of which willbe hereinafter fully described in the annexed specification andparticularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of myimproved coupler as applied for use. Fig. 2 is a side View of the same.Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the draw-head and Fig. l isa top View of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the combinedpin-support and link-holder. Fig. 6 is a similar View of the auxiliarypin-holder; and Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views hereinafter referred to.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the draw-head, whichmay be made in the ordinary form, having the linkmortise B and the upperand lower pin-apertures O O, in which the pin D is held to operate toengage and secure the link E. The rear portion of the mortise B isextended diagonally upward, preferably curved. as shown at B, suchextension being provided to receive a combined gravity pin-support andlink-Weight F, the construction of which is most clearly illustrated inFigs. 2 and 5 of the drawings, by reference to which it will be seenthat when the link E is in position the weight F will rest upon the rearend of such link and hold its forward end elevated to facilitate itsentrance into the link-mortise of a meeting draw-head.

To accommodate the different-shaped links, more especially those whichhave their ends welded and thickened, the lower rear end of thelink-mortise has a concaved depression I), which receives such thickenedends, and the base portion of the mortise being also depressed orinclined rearward from its mouth, so as to allow for a free play of theweight F and allow it to project well under the pin, when it acts as apin-rest.

It will be noticed by reference to Fig. 3 that the tap of the draw-headhas a vertical extension G, which serves as an abutment to receive theforce of the shock, when the drawhead is forced back against the sill ofthe car, when the pressure is greater than the spring can sustain. Thevertical portion 13- of the link-mortise extends up to the top of theextension G and is held closed by a cover-plate II, which serves to keepthe snow, sleat, cinders, &c., from falling into the mortise B andinterfering with the operation of the weight F and the supplementalpin-holder J, presently referred to.

Means such as shown are provided for bolding the plate in place, whichconsist in forming the edges h with cut-out portions to form lips h,which are bent inward and enter depressions or holes a in the sides ofthe drawhead, which lips can be bent out by a suitable tool when it isdesired to remove the plate for repairs, 850.

At the front and rear ends of the seat portion of the extension G, onwhich the plate H fits, transverse grooves a are formed, in which fitflanges 71. on the plate, which, in connection with the side flanges h,effectually serve to prevent the entrance of rain or snow into themortise B.

So far as described, it will be observed that when the pin is elevatedand held up by the weight F the entrance of the link will raise theweight up into the mortise B until its forward end passes from under thepin, which then drops and secures the link, and such weight then restsupon the rear end of the link and holds it elevated, as before stated.

The uncoupling devices, which are most clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3, and4, consist of the rack-bar 10, j ournaled in bearings on the front ofthe car-body, the ends of which extend to the side of the car and areformed into depending handle portions 10 10. Contrally the bar 10 isformed with an outwardlyprojecting horizontal arm 30, having a socketportion in which is held for lateral and longitudinal adjustment alifting-arm 4,0, the forward end of which has an elongated opening whichembraces the pin below its head d, as shown.

It will be noticed by reference to Fig. 3 that the front end of the armis bent downward, as at 40", so that as it raises the pin itsbearingpoint will always be midway under the head (1 to insure itsmoving vertically, and such front end of the arm 40 is protected frombreakage by the upwardly-extending portion a of the draw-head, as shown.By this construction it will be observed that when the draw-head isforced rearward the arm 40 will be pushed back into the socket 30, itbeing formed with a guide-lug 40, which fits and works in a slot 30 inthe member 30 of the socket-plate 30, such lug also serving as a pivotfor the arm 40 as it moves laterally with the draw-head, the socket 30being of such width as to permit such lateral movement, the lug 40 alsoserving to hold the arm 40 from becoming accidentally detached from thearm 30.

50 indicates a lifting-chain, which is connected to the arm 40 at 50 andextends up to the top of the car, as shown.

The central bearing 20 is formed with an abutment 20 which limits theupward movement of the arm 30 and prevents the pin being withdrawn fromthe upper pin-hole, and in one face of such bearing is formed a diagonalrecess 20, which is provided for the following purpose:

When it is desired to raise the pin and secure it so that it will notdrop when the cars are bumped together, the arm 30, as it is swung up,is moved sidewise (by pushing the rack-bar 10 sidewise in its bearings)until it engages the recess 20, which will serve to hold such arm 30,the lifting-arm 40, and the pin elevated until the rack-bar is againpulled back to release the arm 30 from the recess.

As it is often desired to so adjust the coupling pin or pins of a trainwhen the cars are pushed or bumped together that the cars will uncouplewhen the engine pulls out,I provide a supplemental pin-support which,when the pin is lifted but the link not withdrawn, will serve toautomatically adjust itself under the elevated pin and hold it so longas the link remains in the link-mortise.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 6, 7, and 8,.T indicates thepin-holder, which consists of a gravity-plate pivoted at its upper endand held in a recess J in the front face of the mortise B and having ahorizontal member j, which operates and projects forward through asegmental slot j, such member, when the pin is raised, extending intothe upper pin-aperture and under the pin, as shown.

To provide for automatically disengaging the pin-support when the linkis pulled out, I arrange such holder with a rearwardly-projecting lug f,which engages a cam-groove f in the main pin-support F, such groovebeing of the construction shown in Fig. 6, by reference to which it willbe seen that it has a straight portion f, an inclined wall f and anupper seat portion f In operation, when the pin is elevated and the linkremains in the mortise, the main support F is elevated, bringing, as itwere, the enlarged part of its cam-groove in line with the lug 3' on theholder J, which holder, so soon as the bottom of the pin passes theflange J, will swing under the pin and hold it so long as the weight Fremains in its up position. When the link is withdrawn,the weight Fdrops under the upper pin-aperture, and in such movement the inclinedportion of its cam-groove engages the lug 7' and swings the supportJlaterally from under the pin,which then drops and is held on the mainweight or holder F, the lug j, when the said support F .is in itslowermost position,.being in engagement with the upper seat part f ofthe groove, which thereby holds the supplemental support to one side toallow a free movement of the pin in the upper pin aperture.

W indicates a hole in the rear wall of the extension G, in line with thepivot-screw of the holder J, such hole being for the purpose ofadmitting a drill or other tool necessary to adjust the said screw inplace.

- By arranging the link-mortise as described .it will be seen that themovement of the link in the mortise is limited by the solid inclinedvrear wall, and by providing the depression at the rear portionprovision is made for accommodating the thick end of the link, therebyalways insuring the elevation desired for its front end.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings,it will be seen that my improved coupler presents many adyantagesflnthat the main and supplemental pin supports are operated by gravity, are

both constructed so that all their parts are protected from the weather,and the use of springs is entirely avoided.

The operation of the supports is entirely "automatic, the relation ofthe main and supplemental supports being so simple that the danger ofbreaking and defective operation is reduced to the minimum.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. An improved car-coupler having adrawhead, a coupling-pin, a mainpin-support operating in the link-mortise, a gravity-pin holderoperating in the upper pin-aperture,

adapted to swing under the pin when elevated too lowermost position tosupport the pin, substantially as and for the purpose described' 3. In acar-coupling, the combination of the draw-head formed with the usualpin-apertures and with an upwardly-projecting portion forming anabutment, the link-mortise having an upwardly and rearwardly inclinedportion opening through the top of the projecting portion of thedraw-head, said portion having depressions in its sides, and acover-plate formed with lateral flanges having finger portions adaptedto be bent into engagement with the said depressions, all arranged asshown, and for the purpose described.

4. The improved car-coupling herein described, comprising the draw-head,the coupling-pin, a main gravity-pin support, a supplemental gravitypinholder arranged to drop by gravity in one direction and to be swung backby the main support as it drops by gravity, all substantially as and forthe purpose described.

5. The improved car-coupling herein described, comprising a draw-headhaving the usual pin-apertures, the coupling-pin, and formed with alink-mortise having an upwardly and rearwardly extending portion, themain pin-support arranged to operate by gravity in said mortise andformed with a camgroove, a swinging pin-holder having a body portionoperating in said mortise transversely to the main pin-support, saidholder having an arm projecting in the upper pin-aperture when down inits operative position, and with 'a projecting lug arranged forengagement with the cam-groove in the main support, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

6. The combination of the draw-head, the coupling-pin, and thepin'lifting mechanism, including a lifting-arm expansible longitudinallyand movable laterally and vertically, substantially as shown anddescribed.

7. In a car-coupling substantially as described,apin-lifting armexpansible longitudinally, substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination, in a car-coupling, with the car-body, the draw-headmovable longitudinally, and the coupling-pin, of a liftingarm hinged tothe car-body, its front end connected with the pin, said arm formed of arigid rear member, an d a front member movable longitudinally in therear member, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. The combination, with the car-body, the draw-head, and thec0upling-pin, of a rockshaft journaled 0n the car-body, a pin-liftingarm secured to such shaft, an abutment for limiting the upward movementof the liftingarm, said arm having its front portion formed extensibleand adapted to be moved laterally, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

10. In a car-coupling substantially as described, the combination, withthe car-body, the movable draw-head, and the coupling-pin, of arock-shaft journaled on the car-body and movable sidewise in itsbearings, one of such bearings formed with an abutment and an up-.wardly-inclined recess, said shaft having an outwardly-extending rigidarm formed with a socket portion at its end, a pin-lifting arm connectedwith the pin at its front end, its rear end fitting the socket of therigid arm and having a pivotal bearing longitudinally movable in suchsocket, and means for rocking the shaft to lift the pin-arm, allarranged substantially as shown and described.

WILLIAM H. VIOLE"T. Witnesses:

ALoNzo G. MANN, JOHN B. MANN.

